Seems to me that a lot of
folks are second-guessing those who officially reviewed the riders' action and
are ignoring the tribunal's findings when they condemn the rider for alleged
abuse. The tribunal did charge her with poor judgment - a far different thing
than "abuse." I can only imagine how terrible this woman must feel,
knowing that her poor judgment led to the death of her horse. While we each
have a right to our opinion on the matter, we also have the responsibility that
if we plan to state our opinion in public, it should be based on facts. And
unless we actually sat on the tribunal, it is highly unlikely we are privy to
all the facts. To conclude that the rider abused her horse, you must also
conclude that the tribunal was either incompetent in its investigation, or that
it purposefully is lying about the facts of the case.
